“I thought you’d … I thought …” she tried to croak out.
I’d leave you in the lurch? No way! I knew we needed some firepower.”
Paxton walked up, but stopped to nudge Evan with his foot.
“Is he dead?” Cecilia asked.
“Will be,” her uncle answered. Then he shot Evan in the head.
“Um …” Jeremy said. “Not that I am complaining, but isn’t that going to be difficult to explain to your supervisors?”
But her uncle only shrugged. “Like I care right now.”
Cecilia didn’t care either as she hugged Michael, Jeremy, and then Paxton as he joined them. Cecilia was going to keep hugging them until she finally felt warm again.
CHAPTER 12
The rain was finally letting up as the EMTs loaded Michael onto the gurney. The ambulance met them on the dock. It had taken Paxton firing off about a dozen red emergency flares that they found in the boathouse, but the yacht finally came back for them.
White, yellow, red, and blue lights greeted them as they docked. Now, when they probably needed them the least, everyone showed up for the party.
Cecilia couldn’t complain, though. She liked having several dozen people swarming around. She squeezed Michael’s hand as they rolled him toward the waiting ambulance.
“All right, Miss. This is as far as you can go,” the EMT said.
Cecilia turned to her uncle. “Please? Can’t I go with him?”
But Paxton put his hand on her shoulder. “They’ll take good care of him, Cec.”
Michael squeezed her hand back. “Go. I’m going to be tied up for a while. You know, surgery and all.”
“Oh, Michael,” Cecilia nearly sobbed. “I—”
But he put his finger to her lips. “A kiss is all I ask for.”
Cecilia brushed his face with the back of her hand as she leaned over. Their lips, his cool, hers warm, met. She didn’t even mind the tickling of his goatee. She pulled back a bit.
“Don’t leave me.”
He kissed her again, and then whispered, “I didn’t back there. I won’t, ever.”
She wanted to press her lips his again, but the EMT rolled him away. Paxton pulled her back. “They say he’s going to be okay. Just, you know, a couple hundred stitches richer.”
Cecilia allowed her uncle’s arms to enclose her as she leaned against him. She had never thought of Paxton as her rock, but right now he was. Cecilia watched as hundreds of teens and their parents were reunited. Cries of joy mingled with cries of sorrow, as sad parents searched the crowd for their children—in vain.
So many had lost so much. But as Jeremy rushed forward to join in the embrace, Cecilia realized she had gained so much as well.
* * *
Paxton fished the key from his pocket and opened the front door. He wasn’t quite sure what kind of reception Susan was going to give him, but he didn’t care. Paxton let Cecilia and Jeremy in first, and then gently closed the door behind them. They all walked into the kitchen to find Susan pouring herself a drink.
“Where have you been?” she slurred. “I’ve been worried sick about you!”
“For what?” Jeremy countered. “The whole ten minutes you’ve been conscious?”
“Jeremy!” Paxton barked. “I’ll handle this.”
Susan went to stand, but nearly spilled the whole bottle of wine. Cecilia rushed over to her mother.
“Jeremy, don’t make this any harder—”
“Oh, no!” Jeremy stated. “Not after everything we’ve just been through! I can’t take this—”
“You won’t have to,” Paxton stated firmly. He guided Cecilia away from her mother, and then herded both kids toward the staircase. “You two go to bed. I’ve got this.”
“Uncle Pax, you don’t understand,” Cecilia said. “She’s going to need—”
But Paxton cut her off. “I know what she needs.”
Did he ever. The kids didn’t know it, but he had grown up in far worse circumstances. Both he and Susan had. He knew all too well what an unreformed drunk needed. “Now. Go. To. Bed.”
They both looked at him as though he were crazy. “Scram!” he added, sending them scurrying up the stairs.
Paxton turned to his sister, who was still trying to pour that glass of wine. He took the bottle away from her.
“Give me that!” she slurred, but Paxton set the bottle on the counter and sat down next to his sister.
“Susan, we need to talk.”
His sister snorted. “I don’t need any of your sanctimonious lectures, Pax.”
“You are right. You don’t. So I am just going to tell you how it is going to be. Either I move in here, or the kids move in with me.”
And the possibly half-starved cockatiel, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.
“So we are in our knight-in-shining-armor mode,” Susan sneered. “I am sure it will pass by the morning.”
Paxton took his sister’s hand. “I’m not joking, Susan. You are going to get some help, and I am taking charge of the kids.”
She snatched her hand back. “You don’t have the right.”
He leaned back in the kitchen chair. “You don’t think that, as a detective, that I can’t get temporary custody of the kids? If you do, then you are drunker than I thought.”
Tears sprang to his sister’s eyes. “I’m as bad as Dad, aren’t I?”
“No,” Paxton answered. “No, Susan, but you are pretty messed up, and those kids deserve better. From both of us.”
He got up as Susan sobbed, and held her. Paxton was as much to blame as Susan. He had seen her teeter after her husband’s death. He had seen the signs, but he pulled back into himself. A part of him refused to live that life again.
Paxton knew that none of this was going to be easy—for any of them. He had seen their father try to give up the bottle more times than he could count. But after the island?
Nothing seemed quite so daunting anymore.
* * *
Cecilia put her arm around her brother as they sat just out of sight on the stairs.
“You know what?” she asked Jeremy.
“What?”
“I think we are going to be okay.”
Her brother hugged her back. “Maybe, but not until I dump everything Dahmer in my life!”
They both jumped up and ran into his room. The Dahmer shrine took on a whole new creepy level. It felt so very good to tear down all those stupid posters and stomp on the CDs.
Nearly frenzied, she and Jeremy purged the room of anything black and sinister. Finally, they stood in a barely recognizable room. The walls were a light blue, except, of course, where the paint stuck to the tape, revealing white underneath.
“So? How are you going to decorate now?” Cecilia asked her brother.
“I was thinking about old-school Pokemon.” Jeremy said, and then he tilted his head. “And I’m gonna start listening to the Carpenters.”
“You and me, Jeremy,” Cecilia agreed. “You and me both.”
###
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading All Hallow’s Eve! I hope you loved reading it as much as I loved researching all those martyr’s deaths.
If you enjoyed All Hallow’s Eve I would ask you a little favor to go back to wherever you purchased this book (Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, etc) and please leave an honest review.
Authors live and die by their reviews and the few extra seconds it takes you, really helps us authors out!
And if you are looking for more great mystery thrillers read on to the next section!
Other Works by Carolyn
If you enjoyed the twists and turns of All Hallow’s Eve, you might want to try my #1 Bestselling (under Police Procedurals and Hard-Boiled Mysteries)…
Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware.
In the words of New York Times best-selling author, James Rollins (Altar of Eden and Devil Colony)…
“Wickedly macabre and blisteringly paced, PLAIN JAN
E marks the debut of a thriller for the new millennium. Brash, funny, terrifying, and shocking, here is a story best enjoyed with all the lights on. Don’t say I didn't warn you!”
More praise for Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware.
"This book is so creepy. I made the mistake of starting in one night before bed. Not only did the story line keep me turning pages, it freaked me out to the point that I didn't want to turn off my light."
The Book Goddess
Book Reviewer
"This one had me flipping pages until 2 in the morning. I knew when I saw the quote from James Rollins (one of my favorites) that I would get at least my money's worth out of the book, but I had NO idea what laid in store for me."
Mimi - Novel Ideas
The purchase or sample Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware simply click here.
* * *
If you like your thrillers with a supernatural twist, check out Widowmaker: Read It If You Dare by Carolyn McCray and Elena Gray.
Praise for WidowMaker: Read it if you Dare…
"If you are tired of the same old horror formulas, and like wit and originality as much as you like gore, grab a copy of Widowmaker, pop up some popcorn (suggestion, don't add that oily ersatz butter stuff that can occasionally mimic blood...) and settle in for a movie buff's treat
of a horror story."
Romantichick
Book Reviewer
"From the first page to the last, WidowMaker rocks, out loud. Part thriller, part horror and completely awesome, WidowMaker is filled with great characters and situations that are just impossible enough to believe. You can't find a better read."
ThrillersRockT
Book Reviewer
"A film that kills people? Yep, we were right there for it. And how West and Gray weave such a great suspense tale amongst all the carnage is truly brilliant. And of course, we appreciated the sexual tension between the F.B.I. agent and his ex-fiance. I have no idea how you could create a sequel, but we want one!"
ParaYourNormal
Book Reviewer
Overview
Terror in the Trees, the latest uber-low budget slasher flick is slaying people... literally. But is it all hype or is there an evil force behind the supposed deaths? Special Agent Bolder had best find out before the President attends the Hollywood premiere...
To purchase or sample WidowMaker: Read if you Dare, simply click here.
* * *
Like your mystery with some Mixed Martial Arts Kick? Then Full Body Contact: Is He a Fighter or a Killer? is for you!
Praise for Full Body Contact: A Thriller with some MMA Kick!
“Wow! The chemistry between a by-the-book detective and a bad boy MMA fighter was hot! I found myself questioning if I would make the same choices in Alexis' position. Stayed up late reading this one!”
Bookdiva
“Carolyn McCray is known for her ability to write taut, intelligent thrillers, but wow, she and Elena Grey have written a smart but physical thriller this time. The fight scenes are incredible and let's just say you should have a cold shower ready after the sex scene. Definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers, not just those involving the mixed martial arts.”
Thrillers RockT
Book Reviewer
Overview:
As broken bodies pile up in back alleys, a disgraced Mixed Martial Arts champion is the prime suspect.
Can a rookie detective use her beauty and fighting skills to seduce the truth or will she pay the ultimate price for believing in him?
More praise for Full Body Contact
“I seldom read martial arts thrillers, but I couldn't resist Full Body Contact. The pages flew by. I just had to know. Did he do it? Was he playing Alexis or truly reformed? And the conclusion? Suspense at its very best.?
Amber Scott
Bestselling author of Fierce Dawn
To purchase or sample Full Body Contact simply click here.
About The Author
I started out like most authors. I had a story in my head that would not shut up! LOL
And since I love sitting around thinking up ways to kill people (on paper of course), the story for All Hallow’s Eve bubbled to the surface.
If you are looking to publish a book such as this or are a reader and want to find the cream of the indie crop, you really need to look up @indiebookIBC!
If you would like to connect with me check out my Contact Info section or for a quick Tweet, you can find me under @craftycmc (for my personal account). And of course this book would not be in your hands if it were not for the unwavering efforts of the Indie Book Collective @indiebookIBC.
Copyright Information
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, places, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All Hallow’s Eve
An Off Our Meds Project/published by arrangement with the author
FIRST EDITION
Copyright 2011 by Carolyn McCray
All rights reserved
Kindle Edition
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Any inquiries can be made to:
3524 South Star Lake Road
Auburn, WA 98001
Or…
E-Mail Me
Visit my website to join my newsletter and enter to win a monthly $25 Gift Card:
www.CarolynMcCray.com
Acknowledgments
So many people contribute to any book that it is hard to list them all. However, I intend to try!
This book would never have come into existence without, of course, Jim. Ever cool. Ever there.
Ben, who faithfully edited the manuscript through its many, many, many incarnations.
Dee Dee, who has believed in me for so long it is almost impossible to remember a time without her. #andnothatsnotadissonyourage
Amber Scott who knows how to back a girl up! Plus she is one hell of an author herself :-)
Contact Information
Carolyn McCray can be found just about everywhere social media exists (and some that are just in her head).
E-Mail
Her personal social media links:
Website
Twitter
Blog
Facebook
GoodReads
LinkedIn
Her Indie Book Collective (where she and the rest of the Collective help teach authors how to use social media to market their books)
Website
Twitter
Blog
Facebook
GoodReads
LinkedIn
Technical Publishing articles on DigitalBookWorld.com
Poignant articles on Lifarre.com
Motivational article on Mome-O.com
Table of Contents
Book Cover
Main Menu
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Other Works By Carolyn McCray
Plain Jane – A Patterson-style Thriller with a Dash of Hannibal
Widowmaker - A Thriller for Horror Buffs
Full Body Contact – A Thriller with some MMA Kick
Contact Information
Copyright Information
Chapters:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Thank you for reading books on Archive.
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